I’ve been asked, “How do networking and getting business fit
together?”
It’s a good question. The answer is: one can’t work very
well without the other. Networking is the activity, and if it’s done well, it
could lead to business. But in order for that to happen, we must network
strategically with a plan.
People have said to me they need to “get some new business”,
so they’re going to the chamber networking event tonight. I haven’t figured out
yet exactly what that means. I think networking events are incredibly valuable,
but in 15 years of teaching referral marketing, I never “got business” at a
networking event.
In the beginning I thought, “I must be doing this wrong.”
I wasn’t. But what was wrong was my expectation of what a
networking event should be able to do for me. Since I adjusted my expectation,
networking events are incredibly profitable for me. And that’s because they
give me the opportunity to connect, or network, with the people who can lead me to my next business opportunity.
Networking events are where business begins – not where it’s
done. Which means if you’re not participating in a couple of networks, you’re
missing business opportunities.
Depending on how you like to network and what stage your
business is at, there are a lot of networks to choose from. For example:
-
1. Your local Chamber of Commerce. The Chambers and Boards of
Trade are our business voice. No matter what stage of business you’re at,
your local chamber is a resource you need. Just Google Chambers of
Commerce to find the one near you. Here’s mine.
- 2. A referral network. If you’ve been in business long enough to
have a healthy active network of contacts and you’d like to specifically
increase your business referrals, then a referral network could be the
right fit for you. My favourite.
3. A community service club. If you’re business is fairly well established and you’re ready to give back to your community, then a service club could be the network for you. I like this one.
What these networks have in common is they bring together
business people on a regular basis. There are many more terrific networks in
addition to the three I’ve listed.
Once you decide what you’d like your networking efforts to bring you, then you’re in a better position to decide on which network(s) suit you best. Some are more structured and some are less formal. Visit a meeting and check them out.
The bottom line: if you don’t get out of your “cave” and
network somewhere, you’re probably missing out on some great business
connections.
